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Hawai‘i Active Lifestyles

A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

Living BIG on The Big Island

I have traveled and lived in many places. The Big Island offers one of the most extraordinary active lifestyles anywhere, and I do not say that lightly.

Where else can you hike an active volcano at sunrise, swim with honu and manta rays in the afternoon, and finish the day with a run on Aliʻi Drive as the sun goes down? Eight climate zones inside a two-hour drive, and every one of them is somewhere to be outside.

Whether you are a seasoned athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone who just likes moving outdoors, this island delivers. Six sports have their own page here: triathlon, swimming, cycling, running, surfing, and hiking. Each one covers where to go, what is worth doing, and which neighborhoods suit it.

Golf, tennis, paddling, snorkeling, diving, and sailing are coming. For now, start below.

See you out there,
Penn

Loaded bikepacking rig in the ranch pastures above Waimea on the Big Island.

Triathlon

2010 Ironman in Kona - Chrissie Wellington

Home of the IRONMAN™ World Championship since 1981, and a training culture that runs every day of the year, race or no race.

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Swimming

Split level view of a swimmer mid stroke off the Kona coast, part of the Big Island active lifestyle.

Morning swims off the Kailua Pier, protected reef bays for families, and an open water race series along the Kohala Coast.

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Cycling

Cyclist on scenic Big Island Hawaii road near oceanfront properties.

The Queen K, coffee country climbs, and Waimea gravel. Sea level to eleven thousand feet, all of it on paved road.

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Running

Runner on a coastal trail above the ocean along the Kohala Coast.

Flat oceanfront on Aliʻi Drive, cool forest trails at Kaloko, upcountry miles in Waimea, and a year-round race calendar.

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Hiking

Two hikers on a narrow trail through tall grass above Captain Cook.

Three hundred miles of trail through rainforest, lava desert, ranch land, and alpine ground above the cloud line.

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Surfing

Surfing in Big Island Hawaii with ocean views and tropical lifestyle.

Reef breaks along five miles of Aliʻi Drive, from the gentle bay at Kahaluʻu to the winter barrels at Banyans and Lyman’s.

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